The Lady Trojans made the rounds in the North Hall educational community on Thursday, fueling the already rampant excitement about their state final four appearance.

Beginning with the middle school, the girls' basketball team visited students at the four feeder schools for North Hall High School: North Hall Middle School, Mount Vernon Elementary School, Wauka Mountain Multiple Intelligences Academy and Riverbend Elementary School.

"It's awesome," said Ansley Smallwood, a Mount Vernon fourth-grader. "It's especially awesome when you know all the girls and they give you hugs and high fives. It's so awesome seeing them go to the final four."

The team will travel today to Macon to take on Washington County in the AAA semifinals.

But before making the road trip, the girls wanted to show their gratitude for the community that supports them.

"I think it's great (to visit the schools) because they come support us, and now we get to come to their school and see them," said Sarah Paschall, a senior Lady Trojan.

"It's a good opportunity for us and them."

Students lined the hallways holding signs and chanting "Go North Hall" while the team paraded through, giving high fives and rallying support.

"I think it was pretty fun," said Sam Morgan, a Mount Vernon kindergarten student. "It's fun to cheer them on, and I like to have fun."

The girls go into the final four with a record of 24-7 and the distinction of region 8-AAA champions. But some students think their success won't stop there.

"I think they're going to win because they're going to (play) their hardest," said Tate Brooks, a Mount Vernon second-grade student. "I think they're going to do their best because we cheered them on."

The majority of the team walked the halls of the schools they visited as students, and, for them, it's a privilege to return to see the next generation of Trojans.

"It was great," said McKenna Rushton, a senior Lady Trojan. "I love coming back to where I went to school and seeing all the kids and how excited they are. It's just a great experience."

The younger students have been energized about the visit all week.

"(The students) were very excited," said Connie Daniels, Mount Vernon principal. "We've been talking about it all week. This community is very supportive of North Hall High School anyways and a lot of these kids you see at the game."

The last time the Lady Trojans made the final four was in 1991; they fell in the first round of the state playoffs last year.

Tip-off is at 4 p.m. today.